Sep 8, 2008

Despite a nasty campaign against him, opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim has won spectacularly in a landmark by-election in the family stronghold of Permatang Pauh, confirming his stature as possible prime minister with truly national appeal, cutting across race and religion.

Victory on August 26 by a 15,500-vote majority signals that Anwar has re-arrived politically after suffering a severe setback in 1998, following charges of sodomy that saw him jailed for six years. His opponent Arif Shah Omar Shah managed just 15,524 votes or about half as many votes as polled in favour of Anwar.

The return to parliament of the man who once was deputy prime minister has shaken the political establishment and brought him one step closer to the stated goal of seizing the top job.

“The next step is Putra Jaya,” Anwar told thousands of cheering supporters outside the counting centre in Bukit Mertajam, a suburb of the Permatang Pauh constituency, referring to the administrative capital that houses the office of Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.

“We won and our victory is decisive and overwhelming,” he said. “This is a victory for the people. And it’s great to be back,” Anwar said. He described the occasion as a “defining moment for the new Malaysia minus race, fear and discrimination”.